A new research report from Alliance Virtual Offices reveals how remote working impacts employees’ health and overall wellbeing.
Compiling responses from Alliance Virtual Offices and Allwork.Space employees, as well as millions of other figures, the company showed that remote work arrangements benefited all, but minority groups experienced the greatest benefits.
The analysis shows that the workplace becomes more fair when workers have a semblance of anonymity and do not have to disclose parts of their identity, including their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
Additionally, remote working was found to help give those with disabilities more opportunities as this arrangement makes participating in the workforce more accessible to this diverse group that is often left out of employment conversations.
Women also benefit from remote working, as the research shows 32% were less likely to leave their position if they had access to remote work capabilities. In fact, remote working arrangements for mothers were found to replenish $8 billion in lost wages.
Notably, men were found to be more hesitant to embrace remote working compared to women for fear of their contributions being overlooked.
Alongside the benefits to diversity in the workplace, the research shows that remote working contributes to higher productivity levels.
Because remote workers are able to shed some of the daily stresses of in-person work, such as long commutes and prolonged morning routines, they typically have more time to focus on their personal health, leading them to save money, be more relaxed, efficient, and inevitably productive.
Although remote working was shown to have countless benefits, the option also has downsides.
According to the findings, 27.5% to 46.9% of those who transitioned to working from home during the pandemic saw an increase in weight, as well as pain levels due to the lack of proper workplace furniture.
Surprisingly, while cycling has historically been emphasized as a healthier alternative to traditional commuting, accidents that involve pedestrians and cyclists make up 16% of traffic fatalities.
Despite the few drawbacks of this arrangement, the research shows that demand for remote working is prominent and can play a critical role in retaining and satisfying employees.
